The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-03-19
WOMAN SUFFRAGE MEETING.
Addresses by Rev. Henry Blanchard
and {. n. ElweiI, Esq.


woman exists in our city, for, notwithstand-
ing the rain, good-sized audience assem-
bled yesterday afternoon in the vestry of the
Chestnut street church. nearly all of whom
were ladies. Mrs. Jennie f. Bashford Offer
ed prayer.
The first address was delivered by Rev.
Henry Blanchard. His theme was "The
Power and Progress of the Doctrine Of
Woman Suffrage" Mr.. Blanchard began by
expressing his pleasure at seeing so many
| persons present. and by reference to the
recent vote of the Legislature upon the bill
to submit a constitutional amendment in IA
vor Of woman suffrage. The significant vote
he said, was upon the third reading Of the
bill, when it was passed to be engrossed by a
vote Of 10 to 10 in the Senate, and Of 67 to AZ
in the House. Though it failed to receive
the necessary two-thirds, the friends Of
woman suffrage may well rejoice in the ma
| jority. The power Of the doctrine Of woman
suffrage is to be found in its underlying
truths. Conversations with gentlemen Of
the Senate and the House had clearly shown
him, he said, how strong that power was
| The speaker said the first truth he would
name is this. No distinction Of sex, under a
republican form Of government, should pre-
vent person from having her share in max
| ing the laws by the selection Of the lawmak-
ers. He could make an argument in favor Of
a restricted suffrage. If he had mis- way he
would not allow foreigners TO vote at the
end of five years. Considering the dangers
| to the republic arising from immigration he
| would be ready to approve absolute prohibit
e. r.
| years to come. He could argue also for
property qualification IL municipal affairs.
| But he could see no reason for the restriction
| of the franchise on account of sex. The
second truth he said he would enforce, is
| this: Christianity lays emphasis ON the
sacredness Of the Individual. In the sight
of God the unit is not the family, but the in
dlvidual. He rejOiced in the saeredness of
the family, he saw the education Of the indi-
vidual through the conditions Of the family;
he believed in the subordination of the
members in different ways, at different
tines he studied reverently the way Of
Providence in the discipline Of parents
through the long childhood of their children
he rejoiced in the beauty Of the family rela-
ti5nships. God forbid that anything should
mar that beauty. But he saw how many
women there were without fathers, or broth
ers, or husbands, women who must earn
their own living, women who had to e1dure
much and needed the protection of their own
Mrs. G.. Ii. A. Dali has phrased 1t, every
person has a right to all the education she
can command, and therefore to the vocation,
and therefore to protection, by her own bal
this; The three great forces for
the uplifting Of society, are re-
lgion, and education, and law. The
least of these is the law, but it is the
register of the average opinion of the people,
That average ought to include the convic-
tlOnS of women coming from their rpliUiop
and education. Until women vote therefore,
we do not have the highest expression of re-
ligion and education. These truths might
almost be called self evident. Noble and
able men and women oppose them, but the
believers in their strength cOuTteously ask
for fuller consideration.
Mr.. Blanchard then proceeded to speak of
the illustrations of the progress Of the doc
trine of woman suffrage. He alluded to the
opinions OF senators and representatives
which showed the difference between the
days of the present and those of the past.
Once it was thought unfeminine to enter in
to business, to become writers for the press
to enter the professions. Now women can
enter all these without condemnation. 1t Is
seen that their sphere may be enlarged and
may include all occupations for which they
fit themselves. Men therefore are ready TO
give them the ballot when they shall
make demand for it. The witnesses to
this fact are to be found in the action Of the
legislature of Kansas which has given muni-
cipal suffrage to the women of that State,
and in the action of the legislature Of Rhode
Island which has submitted a woman suf-
frage constitutional amendment. Our next
legislature will hear of the progress made in
Maine. The Oranges Of the State, of which
| ex-Gov. Robie Is chief, have begun the dis
| cussi0n, and in some cases, the advocacy Of
woman suffrage. The Knights Of Labor,
| who in some parts of the country are acting
unwisely, are asking for the ballot for wom-
an. Our next legislature will hear from
/ them. In our own city, conversions are tax
| ing pla,e, and towards this desirable end,
| our friends ''the remonstrants" have given
i us valuable aid.
| Many more conversions will come. The ac-
| ti0n of the Legislature with regard to the
| "age of consent has shown women that
they cannot depend upon the votes Of men
to secure the legislation which they desire.
We emay reasonably expectmany new recruits
as the result Of this unexpected action Of our
law makers.
In conclusion, Mr.. Blanchard made an ap-
| peal for all believers In woman suffrage to
join the Maine Woman Suffrage Association,
| to take the W0man's journal, to read Rev.
ID. Z. LivermOre's pamphlet on woman suf-
frage, Mrs. Dall's 'The College, the Market
and the Court" and Mrs. Stanton's History
of Woman Suffrage" Mrs. L. +. FSster 4e
Maple street is the agent Of the last named
work. and to organize private parlor meet
ings to discuss with opponents the question
| of woman and the franchise He also made
an earnest statement Of his deepening con-
viction, as q student of history and life anC
as a co-worker with God in the elevation Of
society, of the immeasurable Importance ol
the cause which he is glad to represent anC
for which, while giving the strength of his
life to Religion and Education he was ready
ito labor and to wait"
Mr. Blanchard then introduced Mr. E. III
Elwell of the Portland Transcript, who rea(
a valuable paper on John Neal and hi.
Help to Woman Suffrage" BY vote of the
Association Mr. Elwell was asked TO fur
nish copy. OF his paper for publication ir
the Woman's Journal, and he viii be asked
10 print in the Transcript. The paper gave
| brief account of Mr.. Meals character and
career, and dwelt especially ON the vision OF
woman's wrongs which came to him sudden.
slavery in debating society of Baltimore
In his Fourth of July Grafton in this city
Mr.. Neal was the first advocate in this coun
try and possibly in the world, Of giving tn,
ballot to woman. Mr.. Elwell showed tn,
value of Mr.. Meals services to literature anC
art and reforms, and his paper may well taxi
a fitting place among the biographies of hon
ored sons of Portland Our readers will b.
interested in the full report Of the pape
when it shall appear.
The following resolutions were offered b,
Mrs. j. +. Bashford and were unanimousl,
adopted:
Resolved, That the Maine Woman Suffrage AS
sociatlon regrets the recent action of the Legisa
a constitutional amendment granting suffrage Z
| women; that while we respect such as honest
| dlifer from us, we express our condemnation 9
those senators whose yacclation shows that the
nave no convictions upon one of the most import
ant political questions of the day.
ResotUed, That we regard the aclion OF the Les
lslature In fixing the age OF protection for girls
ID years as stain upon the manhood and an In
suit to the womanhood of the State and that w
reafiirm our purpose as an association to labor III
ceasingy for the abolition of this and every othe
relic OF barbarism IN sex legislation until our en-
shall be attained in the realization of the diyin
| ideal OF government expressed at the creation
and God care them dominion orer all the earth.
ResotUed, That we express our gratitude TO IN
press Of the city that has freely opened its co
umns to the consideration Of woman's relation [
government and TO advocates and remonstrant
| who have contributed alike TO the widesnraa
discussion OF suffrage at the ireSide In ONCE AM
shop, believing that all agitation will hasten IN
| establishment of justice and equality
} ResotUed, That we hold with Senator Hoar tina
"the preservation Of the home, tine education Z
the child care for the insane the idiot the bin,
, | the deaf, the manned and the deserted, are n,
only political ends but are the chief political end
for which this political body, the State, is creates
and those who desire the help of women In the n,
| minlstratOn Of the State, desire 1t because M
: | qualities Of heart and brain which God has give
to understand this class Of political ends al
needed for their administration"
At the close of the meeting twenty ne,
/ | members joined and a prominent lady prom
iSed list of twenty-five more for the neS
meeting in April. The audience expresse
themselves greatly gratifed by the proceed
ings of the meeting.
KIa QIovee